Nagqu deploys 1,600 workers after magnitude-7 quake kills 16

Northern Tibet sits on active fault lines that frequently generate strong tremors. On Thursday night, a magnitude-7 earthquake struck the region, killing at least 16 people and injuring 54, according to Chinese official media.

The US Geological Survey recorded the main shock at 10:33 pm local time. The epicenter lay 191 km east-north-east of the city of Nagqu, at a depth of 11 miles. The agency logged at least seven aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 4.3 to 5.2, all occurring at a depth of 6 miles.

Local officials reported that 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed in and around Nagqu. Search and rescue operations continued as crews worked through the debris. CCTV footage showed residents fleeing restaurants and rescuers navigating collapsed roofs in damaged buildings.

More than 1,600 workers from the local county were assigned to the relief effort. Xinhua News Agency stated that over 300 police officers and nearly 350 firefighters joined the response. Aid shipments included 1,000 prefabricated housing units, 3,000 tents, folding beds, torches, and winter clothing.

Infrastructure damage disrupted transportation and communication networks. Railway authorities halted trains passing through the area as a precaution. Rockfalls closed a section of National Highway 317, restricting access to emergency and official vehicles while crews cleared the road. Intermittent snow is forecast for the next three days.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an all-out effort in rescue and medical relief. Nagqu is located more than 185 miles north of Lhasa. The region has experienced severe seismic events recently, including a quake in Tingri county in January 2025 that killed at least 126 people and a tremor in Gansu province in December 2023 that claimed at least 134 lives.